Missing on first strike?

Ok, I just fed my snake about 10mins ago, And this is the first time hes ever missed the rat on his first strike, is that a sign of any illness? or do they just not get them everytime?

It happens. Sometimes they'll even get "discouraged" (or maybe disgusted with themselves? LOL) and give up on the meal if they miss a strike and you just have to wait 'til next feeding to try again.

mine does every once in a while and ive never had any problems with them eating or regurgs.

ahh ok i was just wondering, he ate it just fine, i just watched him miss and i was like... what just happend here.

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Originally Posted by JLC

It happens. Sometimes they'll even get "discouraged" (or maybe disgusted with themselves? LOL) and give up on the meal if they miss a strike and you just have to wait 'til next feeding to try again.

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I noticed they tend to miss more when it's F/T. I haven't seen my live eaters miss yet, but I'm sure it happens. If they do refuse after missing, just come back about 15 minutes later and they seem to come to terms with their bone-headedness and will try again. :)

haha good stuff

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Originally Posted by xdeus

I noticed they tend to miss more when it's F/T. I haven't seen my live eaters miss yet, but I'm sure it happens. If they do refuse after missing, just come back about 15 minutes later and they seem to come to terms with their bone-headedness and will try again. :)

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Zeus missed his FT rat 2 Sundays ago and kept cringing when I put it in front of his nose, so I dropped it in on top of the warm spot of the tub, leaving it overnight. :bleh: Peeeeee-Yoooooo! :puke: He never ate it so I had to throw it out....but this past Sunday he snagged it right off. He was even poking his head out of his hide instead of my having to entice him to poke out and look.

If he misses, it won't hurt him to wait and have you try again during the next week's feeding.

RuLyn

I hate when that happen's , I"ve noticed it depend's on the bp.My female Wilma is the only one that will miss sometime's , she's alway's in such a hurry.The minute I get to the house with the bag's she's get's that crazy look on her face.And yes she's halfway out of the hide when she hear's the door.

Seems with ours that most missed more often either when they were eating F/T (which may have been my mistake for not having the prey warm enough to let them zero in on it) or when they were very young snakes and likely not as experienced at hunting prey. Most of them rarely miss now and if they do most will hit again extremely quickly. The only time they seem to totally give up is if they smack their nose on something instead of their prey....that does seem to put them right off the whole thing (well it would put me off too! LOL)